New successful applications of robot technology generally fall into three categories, in Japan called "3K work": "kiken" (dangerous), kitanai" (dirty), or "kitsui" (difficult).
Robots can be remotely controlled or autonomous.
Robots do dirty work, such as cleaning up toxic chemicals on the ocean floor; precisely applying paint and dangerous chemicals; and conducting deep sea oil exploration, drilling and pipeline construction.
Dangerous robotic tasks include machining and assembly of weapons; laser and water jet cutting of materials from cloth to metals; automated warehouse stocking and product shipping; shipping container unloading, stacking and reloading between ships and trucks; nuclear fuel handling; space shuttle robotic arm capture and deployment of satellites; and inspecting and handling bombs or suspicious items.
Robots can now perform difficult and tediously repetitive tasks to 1/100th millimeter tolerances in industrial "clean rooms".
They assist surgeons in delicate operations on hips and hernias, bones and brains.
They package food, pharmaceuticals and white goods.
Robots are used in precision design, machining, and assembly of vehicles, aircraft, and engines, machine tools and computers.
They retrieve and reshelf library books and computer tapes.
There are robotic space craft, satellites, and space probes.
Robots can feed and provide other personal assistance to the disabled.
They harvest agricultural crops using highly skilled operations, finding and delicately tapping 2,000 rubber trees a day.
Robots perform high speed automation of high volume biotechnology laboratory research and testing procedures.
"Animatronic" mannequins or androids simulate humans or animals well enough to be entertaining, if not particularly sociable or helpful.
